1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for network-wide call control, and in particular to a management system and method for a plurality of call agents distributed in a packet-based network (PBN).
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional multimedia techniques implemented in an existing packet-based network, plural call agents are distributed in the packet-based network and perform the network-wide call control based on call control data installed therein.
However, the call control data is individually set and installed in respective ones of the plural call agents. Accordingly, the efficiency of maintenance is reduced because the management of each call agent is not taken into consideration in the conventional techniques.
There has been disclosed a network management device allowing management of call control information transferred from an ISDN terminal via a packet-based network (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No 8-8903).
However, call control data is changed due to data addition or deletion, or when restarting a call agent. In such a case, it is necessary to set the call control data stored in the call agent equal to that stored in the management device. The conventional network management device provides no means for data matching, data maintenance, or data checking procedure.